AN Oldham-based fostering firm is calling on people in the area to think about taking on non-traditional parenting roles as the North West faces an ongoing shortfall of 1,190 foster carers.

Safehouses Fostering works to provide personalised fostering solutions to vulnerable children and young adults from the local area with a team of social workers, support workers and in-house teaching staff.

As well as care professionals, the organisation has a workforce of dedicated foster carers including Chris Chatterley, aged 61, and his wife Janet, aged 51.

The couple, who have four adult children of their own, first considered fostering when Chris worked as a prison escort and custody officer with Lancashire police.

Chris said: “There were many times when I saw young people come in and out of prison and all I could think about was wanting to give them a second chance and how I could potentially help people like that.”

Not long after, Chris and Janet met two Safehouses Fostering social workers by chance on holiday and shortly after they returned home, the couple submitted their application to become carers.

In 2011, Chris and Janet were approved to begin their fostering journey and have since looked after 33 young people and children providing respite and short-term care to offer their regular carers a break. As part of this, the couple often take in foster children if they require an emergency placement, meaning they can receive a call in the middle of the night for someone in need of an urgent foster home.

They have also provided parent-and-child placement care, a specialist type of fostering where a young parent or parents and their baby stays with foster carers when they’re in need of extra help and support. The family usually live with the foster carers for 12 weeks to assess if the parent(s) are able to live independently with their child and the aim is always to keep them together as a family unit where possible.

Last year, Chris left his career at the Lancashire police station to become a full-time foster carer and enable the couple to take on longer-term placements.

Chris said: “I used to work night shifts and by the time I was home everyone was out at school or out of the house.

"I felt like I wasn’t spending quality time with the young people we were caring for. Now that I am the main carer, I am able to do things with them and help them grow and evolve as people and as parents. I love taking the younger children out fishing and teaching them how to catch their first fish.”

“One thing we do with every young person that lives with us is take a photo when they arrive and again when they leave. This is a nice way to show the children and young people just how much they’ve changed – it makes me proud of them to see how far they’ve come and gives them a feeling of the progress they have made.”

The couple are currently caring for a group of three siblings, two-year-old Ben, four-year-old Theo and 10-year-old Ellie (the children's names have been changed to protect their identity). The group of three have been with Chris and Janet for just under two months and will remain in their care until a long-term placement is found.

Chris said: “Life as a full-time carer has been much more fulfilling than my previous and more traditional career. Providing care and watching these children grow and change has been incredible. To any father or man who is thinking of becoming a foster carer, go in to it with your eyes open and always remember to have an open mind. There is nothing more rewarding than knowing you are making an invaluable difference to someone’s life.”

Pam Talbot, manager at Safehouses Fostering, said: “Chris and Janet are amazing examples of foster carers who have created a loving and safe home for a number of children, young people, parents and babies. The difference they’ve made to so many vulnerable people is truly an amazing achievement.

“Father’s Day for some can be a harsh reminder that they are not part of a traditional family unit, whether through bereavement, family separation or because they are part of a foster family. This Father’s Day we want to celebrate all of those who take on non-traditional parenting roles, those who foster, adopt and care for children and young people.”

Anyone can become a foster carer including single people, married couples, same sex couples, home owners or tenants.

For more information about fostering, contact Safehouses Fostering on 01457 829111 or visit www.safehousesfostering.org.uk